Julie's Review: You Were Always Mine

Author: Nicole Baart
Series: None
Publication Date: October 16, 2018
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 384
Obtained: publisher
Genre:  Contemporary Fiction, Women's Fiction
Rating: 3/5

Bottom Line: I figured out a big piece of the puzzle early on. This one fell a bit short for me.

Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Library

Summary:  Jessica Chamberlain, newly separated and living with her two sons in a small Iowa town, can’t believe that a tragedy in another state could have anything to do with her. But when her phone rings one quiet morning, her world is shattered. As she tries to pick up the pieces and make sense of what went wrong, Jess begins to realize that a tragic death is just the beginning. Soon she is caught in a web of lies and half-truths—and she’s horrified to learn that everything leads back to her seven-year-old adopted son, Gabriel. Years ago, Gabe’s birth mother requested a closed adoption and Jessica was more than happy to comply. But when her house is broken into and she discovers a clue that suggests her estranged husband was in close contact with Gabe’s biological mother, she vows to uncover the truth at any cost. A harrowing story of tenacious love and heartbreaking betrayal, You Were Always Mine is about the wars we wage to keep the ones we love close, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Jodi Picoult. ~amazon.com


Review: You Were Always Mine is a story about what makes a family with a mystery woven into it. Jessica and her husband, Evan, have been separated for a few months when he doesn't pick up the boys on a Friday after school. No matter what is going on between them, he's always there for the boys. Then she gets the devastating call that Evan has been found dead in Minnesota. None of this makes sense to her but she's too distraught to make sense of it until things start seeming out of place.

Add that her eldest son Max has gotten himself into some trouble at school that he has to do community service for and he's also a very surly 13 year old. It was very evident to me that Jessica favored Gabe over Max. Now don't get me wrong, she loves Max but it's Gabe she showers with affection and pays special attention to as well.  I also kept in mind that Gabe was 6 which can make a difference as well. I also thought her burying her head in the sand when it came to Gabe's birth mom was selfish and ill advised. Just because you have contact doesn't make you less his mom.






I thought the premise of the novel was intriguing but it fell short for me for a couple reasons. First, I didn't really care for Jessica and she drove me a bit nuts with her pity me attitude. Second, I figured out an essential piece of the puzzle early on even if I didn't know how it fit in overall.

I loved Little Broken Things by Ms. Baart so while this one didn't resonate with me, I will continue to pick up her books.



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Julie's Review: Little Broken Things

Author: Nicole Baart
Series: None
Publication Date: November 21, 2017
Publisher: Atria
Pages: 368
Obtained: Great Thoughts, Great Readers Book Salon
Genre:  Suspense, Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: This will satisfy the readers of both suspense and contemporary fiction
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab

Summary: An engrossing and suspenseful novel for fans of Liane Moriarty and Amy Hatvany about an affluent suburban family whose carefully constructed facade starts to come apart with the unexpected arrival of an endangered young girl. I have something for you. When Quinn Cruz receives that cryptic text message from her older sister Nora, she doesn’t think much of it. They haven’t seen each other in nearly a year and thanks to Nora’s fierce aloofness, their relationship consists mostly of infrequent phone calls and an occasional email or text. But when a haunted Nora shows up at the lake near Quinn's house just hours later, a chain reaction is set into motion that will change both of their lives forever. Nora’s “something” is more shocking than Quinn could have ever imagined: a little girl, cowering, wide-eyed, and tight-lipped. Nora hands her over to Quinn with instructions to keep her safe, and not to utter a word about the child to anyone, especially not their buttoned-up mother who seems determined to pretend everything is perfect. But before Quinn can ask even one of the million questions swirling around her head, Nora disappears, and Quinn finds herself the unlikely caretaker of a girl introduced simply as Lucy. While Quinn struggles to honor her sister’s desperate request and care for the lost, scared Lucy, she fears that Nora may have gotten involved in something way over her head—something that will threaten them all. But Quinn’s worries are nothing compared to the firestorm that Nora is facing. It’s a matter of life and death, of family and freedom, and ultimately, about the lengths a woman will go to protect the ones she loves. ~amazon.com

 Review: Little Broken Things is a book that you will think you have it all figured out but you really don't until it all comes together at the end. You go along with the assumptions of both Liz, the matriarch, and Quinn, the baby of the family because it's all that you know.

Why would Nora drop off a stranger if she wasn't a niece or granddaughter. Why is Nora being all secretive? Why is Lucy so quiet and scared? The story alternates between the 3 Sanford women and we get to see the events unfold from Nora ,who knows why Lucy was dropped with Quinn, Liz who's external wall is starting to crumble as she faces some truths in her life and Quinn, who fell in love and got married quickly only to be hit with real life issues.

How will these women with the same blood mend the fences that seem to be up around them? Will they be able to confront the past in order to protect themselves and Lucy?

All of these women, including Lucy, are strong and brave. Nora, perhaps is the bravest because she puts the lives of others in front of hers. Her bond and friendship with Tiffany has put her in danger with a man that is known to abuse.

Liz is starting to deal with some truths about her husband, their marriage and her own actions over the years.

What I really enjoyed about the novel is that it is multi-layered storytelling. There is a lot of suspense going on throughout the novel but it also the story of a family finding their way back to each other.

  Little Broken Things is a book that you won't want to miss.

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